Collator for sheets



Oct. 15, 1963 F. K. SYVERSEN COLLATOR FOR SHEETS Filed Jan. 25, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR MA KJfl/ZEAJi VkJiA/ BY Wm M ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1963 F. K. SYVERSEN 3,107,083

COLLATOR FOR SHEETS Filed Jan. 23, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fiNA/%EHAFJSKFYEN BY ME I ATTORNEY s Oct. 15, 1963 F. K. SYVERSEN 3,107,033

COLLATOR FOR SHEETS Filed Jan. 23, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 27 kOf/AKIXI/EQIE BY u M ATTORN EYS Qct. 15, 1963 F. K. SYVERSEN COLLATOR FOR SHEETS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 23, 1961 WWW ATTORNEYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 23, 1961 United States Patent 3,107,083 COLLATOR FOR SHEETS Finn Koehier Syversen, Ebheisgt. 3, Oslo, Norway Filed Jan. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 84,384 Claims priority, application Norway Sept. 17, 1960 14 Claims. (ill. 279-58) The invention relates to collators for simultaneous feeding of the top sheets from each of a plurality of piles of sheet material carried in separate compartments of a holding device. Such collators are used in order to feed one sheet from each of a desired number of piles, for example, in assembling sets of sheets for typing with several copies, and may comprise a frame or rack to be placed on a table or the like. In the frame a reciprocating slide is bedded, which may be moved, for example, by means of a handle. The handle carries a series of levers projecting upwards, the upper ends of which rest against a corresponding number of sheet piles and by means of the reciprocatory movement of the slide feed one sheet at a time from each pile, the assembled sets or piles of sheets being placed in sloping pockets or compartments.

The arrangement according to the invention provides for an apparatus that works with precision and is easily produced and operated. The advantageous effect of the apparatus is mainly due to the shape of the feeding levers and the arrangement of those parts of the apparatus which co-operate with these levers. The invention furthermore proposes an improved attachment between the levers and the slide and a simple construction of the moving mechanism.

Further advantages and details of the apparatus will appear from the following description with reference to the drawings, where some embodiments are shown:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the novel apparatus with the reciprocating slide in its end position after a feeding movement when a sheet from each pile was pushed forward. A pedal is suggested for an operating device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale of one of the feeding levers of FIG. 1 and its attachment on the slide.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a plate supporting the sheet piles and comprising lateral guiding devices and a braking device for the sheet piles.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of part of the apparatus and one end of the slide with a feeding lever and a supporting plate.

FIG. 5 shows perspectively the connection between the operating handle and the slide.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, seen from below, of the rear end of the frame with an operating handle and a tension spring for the return movement of the slide.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modification of the supporting plate with lateral guiding devices and side brakes.

FIG. 8 is a section along the line VIIIVIII in FIG. 7 with a pile of sheets, a check plate and side brakes.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an arrangement of the central brake with a divided additional back plate.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a further modified embodiment of the feeding lever in a non-strained position.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatical sketch illustrating the lifting movement of the slide.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1-6 the apparatus frame comprises two longitudinal bar members 1 of iron, aluminium or another suitable material. For the connection with the base members 2 the bar members 1 may be angle shaped as in FIG. 4. The connection may be detachable for transport. The frame members 1 hlfi ifi h Patented Get. 15, 1953 ice have recesses 3 (FIG. 4) in their top edges for the attachment of a number of supporting plates 4, which support the piles :of sheets 5. The recesses are shaped in a special way so as to allow the supporting plates to be readily mounted and removed and to make them stand securely due to their tilting and their weight. This has been attained by undercutting the front edge of the recesses 3, as shown at 6, and thus forming a projection or nose 7. The boundary line :of the recess extends backwards and downwards thus forming approximately a right angle to the rear edge 8, which is sloping backwards corresponding to the desired slope of the supporting plates '4.

It should be mentioned that reference to the front and rear part of the apparatus is made for clarity and that by the iron part is meant that end of the apparatus which is on the side where the sheet piles rest on the supporting plates.

The back plates 4 according to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, which may consist of any suitable plate material, comprise a back part 9 and further plate material constituting the front part 10, which is preferably right angled to the back part 9. The fore edge of the front part 10 is provided with recesses 11, which are placed in the recesses 3 of the base members. The base plate 19 is further provided with recesses 12 for the movement of the feeding levers.

The supporting plate 4 has lateral guiding devices 13 for the sheets on both side edges. These guiding devices are adjustable laterally and made of a flexible, thin bar material. In front of the supporting plate they show a horizontal part 14 with a lining of rubber or the like.

From the horizontal portion 14 of the lateral guide device the bar extends upwards parallel to the lateral edges of the plate 4 and the sheet pile 5, is then bent around the rear of the plate and extends through holes in lugs 15, which may be pressed out of the plate 4. In a similar Way the lower end of the bar is bent to the rear side of the plate 4 and extends through lugs 16. The horizontal parts of the bars 13 are guided through the holes in the lugs 15 and 16 with suitable friction to secure their adjusted position. The parts 14 and 14a form guiding elements for the sheets and are adjustable laterally so as to rest resiliently against the sides of the sheet piles. The rubber lining will then retard the feeding in such a way that only the foremost sheet is moved by the feeding lever.

A thin plate 17 of a friction providing material, for example, rubber, is attached to the front of the supporting plate 4, in order to prevent any displacement of the sheet pile during work.

A slide 18, which is preferably channel shaped facing upward, slides on the base members 2 of the frame. The bottom of this slide has one slot 19 above each of the base members 2 (see FIG. 4). The slots 19 have a certain length which determines the feeding distance of the front sheets of the piles, so that one can readily reach the desired sheet. Each base member is provided with a pin 20 projecting through the slot 19 for the control of the slide 18. The slots 19 and pins 20 also act as check pieces for the end of the sliding movement. Above the slide bottom the pins 20* are provided with a head which prevents the slide from leaving its position. One or both of the pins 20 project downward from the underside of the base member or members 2. One such pin serves as terminal or anchor member for the fixed end of a tension spring 21, the other end of which is fastened to a pin 22 on the bottom surface of the slide 18. The spring 21 is extended when the slide is moved forward and retracts the slide to its initial position when the operating handle is released.

The operating handle 23, which is installed at the rear end of the apparatus, comprises a rigid lever pivoted 3 in cars 24 projecting from the longitudinal bars 1 of the frame. Just outside the ears on both sides of the apparatus the lever 23 is bent backwards in a certain angle along the longitudinal direction of the apparatus and has a knob 25 or the like, to provide a firm hold. Centered between the ears 24 the lever 23 is provided with a depending extension 26 with a crossbar 27, the ends of which rest in slots 23 in the longitudinal walls of the slide channel. When the knob handle 25 is operated the lever is turned in its mounting and the crossbar 27 will push the slide forward. When the handle is released, the spring 21 will retract the slide until the check pins 20 reach the end of the slots .19.

The upper edge of each longitudinal flange of the slide channel is provided with a number of recesses 29, the rear part of each of which is undercut, as shown at 30 (see FIG. 2). The front edges of the recesses extend at a right angle to the top of the slide. Each of these recesses receives a closely fitting base part 32, of a feeding lever 31. The base part 32 is Wide enough to project somewhat outside both sides of the slide channel 18 in order to provide finger hold for removal of the said base part. An extension tail part 33 closely fitting into the channel projects from the base part 32 and serves to secure the base part in its position in the recess. From the base portion 32 the feeding lever 3-1 curves flexibly upward and backward as at 34. The said feeding lever is narrow near the base portion 32, gradually widening in width in a relatively straight mid-portion shown at 35. At 36 the top of the lever is curved in the direction opposite to that of the curve illustrated at 34 and ends in a portion 37, which forms an angle of less than 90 with the supporting plates 4. The end of the lever is provided with a head 38 of soft rubber or the like, the top of which is parallel to the supporting plates 4.

When inactive, only the lower edge 39 of the rubber head 38 is touching the sheet pile, but when the feeding motion is started, the lever 31 is bent somewhat due to the friction of the head 38 against the sheet and then the entire edge of the head 38 will rest on the sheet.

The advantageous effect of the lever 31 is due to its flexible and secure contact with the sheet and to its thin and very flexible or yielding part as illustrated at 34, which makes the lever adapt itself on any level and to any uneven conditions of the sheet piles. The lever is made of a thin, flexible plate material, preferably hard plastic. Due to the simple and easy way of removing and replacing the lever on the slide it is possible to make a rapid substitution with levers of other dimensions and rigidity having other kinds of rubber or sponge rubber or the like, depending upon the quality of the utilized sheet material.

As indicated in FIG. 1 the apparatus may be operated by means of a pedal with a chain 40 or the like fastened to the handle 23 and to some kind of pedal. The figure shows a removable pedal 41, comprising a base part 42, which at 43 is hinged to a plate 44-, the end 44a of which holds the chain 44 The other end of the chain is fastened to a removable hook 230 on the handle 23. Between the base part 42 and the plate 43, a spring device 45 is arranged bending the hinged parts 42 and 44 away from each other.

The dimensions of the supporting plates are suitably adapted to a certain sheet size. However, it may be desirable to use the apparatus for smaller-sized sheets, the normal sheet size constituting a multiple of the said smaller-sized sheets. In order to obtain full utilization of the area of the supporting plates a further feature of the invention provides an arrangement that makes it possible to treat, for example, half-sized sheets as effectively as the normal size ones. The capacity of the apparatus will then :be twice that of its normal capacity. This increased capacity is obtained by means of a braking device of principally the same design as the side brakes, the additional brake being centered between the side flanges of the supporting plates. In connection therewith there is preferably used an additional back plate, which is divided along its center line and provided with vertical lateral flanges resting against the lateral edges of the piled sheets. These lateral flanges are held against the sheet piles with the desired pressure by means of the lateral guiding devices.

For particularly thin sheets, for example, of paper, it turned out to be advantageous to insert an additional back plate of a suitable rigid material, for example, cardboard of a somewhat lesser width than the sheets. Especially is this desirable when there are but few sheets left in the .piles, for then these are easily squeezed and wrinkled due to the pressure of the lateral brakes and the feeding thus becomes unsatisfactory. When a plate of the mentioned kind is inserted, the inward movement of the side brakes is limited because the brakes are arrested by the contact with the plate, and thus this disadvantage is eliminated.

According to the invention a cover of a suitable, rigid material is placed on top of the sheet piles when sheets of especially thin material (paper) are used. This cover must be provided with a recess for the head of the feeding levers. Such a cover will guide the sheets and keep them flat during the feeding and it will also prevent the sheets from wrinkling during the return movement of the feeding levers in connection with the slide movement.

The FIGS. 7-11 show various modifications of the arrangement according to the invention shown in FIGS. 1-6, with means to take care of the mentioned special conditions. There is also suggested a modified design of the feeding lever, which may be suitable in special cases. The operating head of the lever may, furthermore, be modified according to another feature of the invention.

In an apparatus of the kind described above the feeding distance of the sheets depends on the stroke of the slide and the length of the lever, which is limited due to practical reasons. According to another feature of the invention the feeding distance is increased by means of a. special mounting arrangement of the slide. This embodiment of the slide thus makes a lifting movement, which will increase the feeding distance accordingly. There are supporting plates 4' having lateral guiding devices 14/ for each sheet pile 5' along their side edges (FIG. 8). The guiding devices are movable laterally and consist of U- shaped metal wire loops, their legs 50 bm'ng easily movable in lugs 15", which may be pressed out of the plate material on the rear side of the plate 4. The connecting pieces 13' of the Us are bent over the front of the plate and guide the sheets. The [lateral guide section of the device 14' is shown covered with rubber 51. Since the sheets lying near the front tend most to join in the feeding movement, the lateral guiding loop is preferably bent somewhat more than so that the brake has the strongest eifect on the topmost or foremost sheets of the pile.

At the back of the plate 4' two of the legs 59 of the lateral guiding devices are connected with an elastic band 51a, for example, an elastic rubber band, which provides for an automatic adjustment of the lateral brakes to make them rest with the desired pressure against the side margins of the sheets in the piles.

As shown in FIG. 9, if the apparatus is to be used for sheets of such size that two can be placed side by side on the width of the supporting plate, a central brake 52 of principally the same design as the side brakes is arranged. The brake comprises a rubber sleeving pulled over a metal wire loop at 53. There are openings 54-, 55 in the plate for the loop and the latter is stretched tightly by the elasticity of the wire. An additional back plate 56 is suitably arranged and this plate is divided along its center line. The lateral flanges 57 cover the side brakes but produce the necessary lateral pressure of the sheets against the central brake. When the apparatus is utilized in this way, with the feeding lever head 38 moving the sheets at their middle margins, the side brakes must be covered by the flanges 57 of the divided back plate 56 to prevent the sheets from sticking to the side brakes. 59 in FIG. 8 is the above mentioned plate or sheet of cardboard or the like which is placed between the sheet piles and the support plates 4 and which prevents the side brakes from compressing and wrinkling the sheets when but a few sheets are left. 69 is the above mentioned top plate or sheet with opening 61 for the feeding lever. This top plate is placed upon the sheet pile when the apparatus is used for thin paper.

The feeding lever 7 8 according to a modified embodiment shown in FIG. 10 has a middle flexible part 71 consisting of a coil spring type of a hard and elastic material, preferably provided with a plastic sleeving. An example of such a spring material is the commercial wire for curtains. The flem'ble middle part '71 is connected with a base '72 shaped like -a rigid metal loop. This part 72 may be engaged with a recess 29 above generally described as 29 in FIG. 2. A similar :loop construction has been used for fastening the lever heads 73, which are provided with a resting area 74 of a friction providing material, for example, rubber. From the friction providing head area 74 part of the rubber is prolonged into two flaps 75 with an intermediate part which does nottouch the sheets. The flaps carry the feeding levers 7t} readily down along the front sheet of a sheet pile when the slide is moved, but when the slide returns to its initial position the flaps '75 are bent in the opposite direction and secure a good hold on the sheet for the friction head '74.

A mounting of the slide 18 causing the slide to be lifted during its stroke md the sheets to be fed somewhat further than with the slide apparatus of FIG. 2 is indicated schematically in FIG. 11. By means of pins 36 the slide is pivoted on levers 81 which are pivoted on pins 82, the said pins 82 being inserted in the bar member 1.

The details of the apparatus are not limited to the embodiments shown and described by way of example. Instead of the back plate 59 there ma for example, be provided fixed or adjustable check pieces attached at a suitable place on the lateral guiding devices. The top plate or sheet may be substituted with one or more light wire loops or bars, which may rest against the sheet piles with some spring pressure. The movable slide 18 need not necessarily be channel-shaped, although this is a preferred embodiment. The lugs of the supporting plates do not have to be pressed out of the plate material, but may be separate parts, which are fastened to the plate in any suitable way. Concerning the design of the flexible, elastic feeding lever the transition from the thin section at the base to the free end may be formed in some other way than the one shown in the drawing, for example, with recesses in both lateral edges. The main objective is to have the lever so thin at this point that it can readily twist and allow the head to rest securely on the sheet pile.

I claim:

1. A sheet material collator for simultaneous feeding from a plurality of inclined piles of sheet material, each pile having side edges and each such pile being contained in a separate compartment; the collator comprising a reciprocating slide, a longitudinal frame on which the slide is mounted, feeding levers for the slide, one for each compartment of the collator, the said levers resting against the top sheet of each pile and extending ahead and away from the sheets and being characterized by their flexibility both as to twist and as to reach, and their structure having essentially upper and lower curves in each lever which curves are separated by a linear mid-portion; each lower curve being considerably thinner in width than the rest of the lever; the said lower curve being further characterized by having its center of curvature point forward and away from its sheet pile, while the upper curve has its center of curvature point back-ward and toward its sheet pile; the aforesaid compartments each consisting of supporting elements fastened on the frame and guiding and braking devices, for the sheet material, said supporting elements being fastened to the frame directly on the longitudinal members thereof, and said guiding and braking devices being fastened directly to the frame to abut the side edges of each pile of sheet material.

2. A sheet material collator for simultaneous feeding from a plurality of piles of sheet material, each such pile being contained in a separate compartment, the collator comprising a reciprocating slide, a longitudinal frame on which the slide is mounted, feeding levers for the slide, one for each compartment of the collator, the said levers resting against the top sheet of each pile and extending ahead and away from the sheets and being characterized by their flexibility both as to twist and as to reach, and their structure having essentially upper and lower curves in each lever which curves are separated by a linear midportion; each lower curve being considerably thinner in width than the rest of the lever, the said lower curve being further characterized by having its center of curvature point forward and away from its sheet pile while the upper curve has its center of curvature point backward and toward its sheet pile; the aforesaid compartments each consisting of supporting elements fastened on the frame, wherein the feeding levers are fastened to and readily dis engageable from recesses in the slide by means of preshaped base portions which closely fit into the said recesses, the latter being provided with undercut rear edges.

3. A sheet material collator for simultaneous feeding from a plurality of piles of sheet material, each such pile being contained in a separate compartment, the collator comprising a reciprocating slide, a longitudinal frame on which the slide is mounted, feeding vlevers for the slide, one for each compartment of the collator, the said levers resting against the top sheet of each pile and extending ahead and away from the sheets and being characterized by their flexibility both as to twist and as to reach, and their structure having essentially upper and lower curves in each lever which curves are separated by a linear midportion; each lower curve being considerably thinner in width than the rest of the lever, the said lower curve being further characterized by having its center of curvature point forward and away from its sheet pile while the upper curve has its center of curvature point backward and toward its sheet pile; the aforesaid compartments each consisting of supporting elements fastened on the frame, wherein the supporting elements are plates detachably fastened to the longitudinal frame, and wherein the said supporting plates each consist of a back portion and a forwardly oriented base portion formed at a right angle from the back portion, said base portion having recesses for engagement with mating recesses in the top edge of the longitudinal frame, the edges of these latter recesses being undercut to provide a projection that fits over the adjoining edge of the base portion of the supporting plates; and the forward limits of these longitudinal frame recesses sloping rearwardly at a right angle to the bottom of the recesses.

4. A sheet material collator as in claim 3, wherein there are provided on each supporting plate flexible, laterally adjustable guiding and braking devices for the sheet piles; these said devices being attached along the lateral pmts of the supporting plates, and forming an acute angle with the supporting plates as viewed from the top thereof, thus to control the sheet pile material.

5. A sheet material collator for simultaneous feeding from a plurality of piles of sheet material, each such pile being contained in a separate compartment, the collator comprising a reciprocating slide, a longitudinal frame on which the slide is mounted, feeding levers for the slide, one for each compartment of the collator, the said levers resting against the top sheet of each pile and extending ahead and away from the sheets and being characterized by their flexibility both as to twist and as to reach, and their structure having essentially upper and lower curves i in each lever which curves are separated by a linear midportion; each lower curve being considerably thinner in width than the rest of the lever, the said lower curve being further characterized by having its center of curvature point forward and away from its sheet pile while the upper curve has its center of curvature point backward and toward its sheet pile; the aforesaid comparments each consisting of supporting elements fastened on the frame, wherein the slide is actuated by an operating handle connected directly thereto, said handle consisting of a lever pivoted on the longitudinal frame, which lever is bent in the longitudinal and forward direction of the collator, outside of the pivot mounting; and :where the lever is provided with an inverted depending T member, the crossbar of which fits into appropriate slots in the slide adapted to move the said slide.

6. A sheet material collator as in claim 4 wherein the guiding and braking devices are mounted to be easily movable laterally of the plates, and are connected at the back side of each of the supporting plates by an elastic element.

7. A sheet material collator as in claim 4 wherein there is a braking device mounted between the laterally adjustable guiding and braking devices of each supporting plate, in combination with centrally and vertically divided back plates with forwardly oriented flanges bent up at right angles from the side edges of the plates to a height approximately that of the guiding devices. '8. A sheet material collator for simultaneous feeding from a plurality of piles of sheet material, each such pile being contained in a separate compartment, the collator comprising -a reciprocating slide, a longitudinal frame on which the slide is mounted, feeding levers for the slide, one for each compartment of the collator, the said levers resting against the top sheet of each pile and extending ahead and away from the sheets and being characterized by their flexibility both as to twist and as to reach, and their structure having essentially upper and lower curves in each lever which curves are separated by a linear mid-portion; each lower curve being considerably thinner in width than the rest of the lever, the said lower curve being further characterized by having its center of curvature point forward and away from its sheet pile While the upper curve has its center of curvature point backward and toward its sheet pile; the aforesaid compartments each consisting of supporting elements fastened on the frame, having inserted between each of the sheet piles and the supporting plate therefor a sheet of relatively rig-id material such as cardboard, which sheet is somewhat narrower in width than the sheet piles, said rigid sheet serving to limit the inward movement of the laterally mounted guides and brakes, and thus to prevent squeezing with consequent wrinkling and unsatisfactory feeding of the last few sheets of sheet pile material.

9. A'sheet material collator for simultaneous feeding from a plurality of piles of sheet material, each such pile being contained in a separate compartment, the collator comprising a reciprocating slide, a longitudinal frame on which the slide is mounted, feeding levers for the slide, one for each compartment of the collator, the said levers resting against the top sheet of each pile and extending ahead and away from the sheets and being characterized by their flexibility both as to twist and as to reach, and their structure having essentially upper and lower curves in each lever which curves are separated by a linear midportion; each lower curve being considerably thinner in width than the rest of the lever, the said lower curve being further characterized by having its center of curvature point forward and away from its sheet pile while the upper curve has its center of curvature point backward and toward its sheet pile; the aforesaid compartments each consisting of supporting elements fastened on the frame, wherein there is a rigid plate placed on top of the foremost sheet of each sheet pile, to prevent wrinkling of the sheets during the movement of the feeding levers in connection with the slide movement, which said plate is preferably of approximately the same dimensions as the sheets to be fed and is provided with a recess for the feeding lever at its lower edge to give the lever access to the sheets.

10. A sheet material collator for simultaneous feeding from a plurality of piles of sheet materia each such pile being contained in a separate compartment, the collator comprising a reciprocating slide, a longitudinal frame on which the slide is mounted, feeding levers for the slide, one for each compartment of the collator, the said levers resting against the top sheet of each pile and extending ahead and away from the sheets and being characterized by their flexibility both as to twist and as to reach, and their structure having essentially upper and lower curves in each lever which curves are separated by a linear midportion; each lower curve being considerably thinner in width than the rest of the lever, the said lower curve being further characterized by having its center of curvature point forward and away from its sheet pile while the upper curve has its center of curvature point backward and toward its sheet pile; the aforesaid compartments each consisting of supporting elements fastened on the frame, wherein pin and lever linkage to mount the slide in the frame is provided, whereby the slideis caused to be lifted somewhat during the feeding stroke, thereby increasing the reach of said feeding stroke.

11. A sheet material collator for simultaneous feed'ng from a plurality of inclined piles of sheet material, having a series of feeding levers extending ahead and away from the sheet material, each feeding lever having a coil spring structure, each exerting sheet engaging spring pressure against a particular sheet pile and each lever also having torsionalresiliency, assuring ability of each lever to firmly grasp a top sheet of even a badly wrinkled sheet pile; the said torsional resiliency being provided by the levers having a narrow portion at the base permitting greater twist as needed there than further up as it widens toward the top and sheet engaging edge thereof, the lever further describing two reverse curves throughout its entire length, to increase the torsional resiliency and yet retain the needed pressure, the two curves being separated by a linear mid-portion providing necessary stability to the lever and sheet engaging edge thereof; the lower curve having its center of curvature pointing forward, while the upper curve points its center of curvature backward; and there being fitted over the sheet engaging edge of each lever a friction tip to grip each sheet.

12. Collating apparatus for simultaneous feeding from a plurality of piles of sheet material, each such pile being contained in a separate container, said apparatus comprising a longitudinal and channel shaped slide, a longitudinal bar frame in which the slide reciprocates, a feeding lever for each sheet pile, said slide having notches to removably receive said levers, in combination with stop pins on cross members of the bar frame to limit travel of the slide, a tension spring attached to a pin at the rear and underside of the slide and to the rearmost stop pin of the bar frame, containers for the sheet piles, said containers being support elements removably fastened directly to the longitudinal members of the bar frame by notches; and flexible and adjustable guide and brake devices attached to said containers.

l3. Collating apparatus for simultaneous feeding from a plurality of piles of sheet material, each such pile being contained in a separate compartment, the apparatus comprising compartments for the sheet piles, a feeding lever for each compartment, a longitudinal channel shaped bar frame in which the slide reciprocates, said levers being mounted on the slide and being of coil springrconstruction, a tension spring whose front part is mounted in a longitudinal channel in the rear underside of the slide, the rear part thereof being anchored at the rear of the bar frame, in combination with pin and lever linkage connecting the slide to the frame which linkage as attached to the frame and the slide is itself adapted to raise the slide through an are as it is drawn through the feeding stroke by the tension spring; whereby the raised slide and coil spring structure of the levers increases the reach of the feed levers at the top of their feed strokes.

14. A sheet material collator for simultaneous feeding from a plurality of piles of sheet material, having a series of feeding leversone for each pile, a frame with cross members, a channel-shaped slide mounted longitudinally in the frame, the said slide having notches cut in its sides to receive the feeding levers, the rear edges of the notches being undercut to retain the levers in the notches, in combination with a tension spring extending between a 10 rear cross member of the frame and the slide to draw the slide back after it has had a forward movement; a handle on the frame to operate the slide, and a depending inverted T-member to drive the slide forward against the spring tension when the handle is operated said depending member taking into a slot in the slide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,449,594 Druliner Sept. 21, 1948 2,624,571 Dixon et a1. Jan. 6, 1953 2,808,262 Keil Oct. 1, 1957 

1. A SHEET MATERIAL COLLATOR FOR SIMULTANEOUS FEEDING FROM A PLURALITY OF INCLINED PILES OF SHEET MATERIAL, EACH PILE HAVING SIDE EDGES AND EACH SUCH PILE BEING CONTAINED IN A SEPARATE COMPARTMENT; THE COLLACTOR COMPRISING A RECIPROCATING SLIDE, A LONGITUDINAL FRAME ON WHICH THE SLIDE IS MOUNTED, FEEDING LEVERS FOR THE SLIDE, ONE FOR EACH COMPARTMENT OF THE COLLATOR, THE SAID LEVERS RESTING AGAINST THE TOP SHEET OF EACH PILE AND EXTENDING AHEAD AND AWAY FROM THE SHEETS AND BEING CHARACTERIZED BY THE FLEXIBILITY BOTH AS TO TWIST AND AS TO REACH AND THEIR STRUCTURE HAVING ESSENTIALLY UPPER AND LOWER CURVES IN EACH LEVER WHICH CURVES ARE SEPARATED BY A LINEAR MID-PORTION; EACH LOWER CURVED BEING CONSIDERABLY THINNER IN WIDTH THAN THE REST OF THE LEVER; THE SAID LOWER CURVED BEING FURTHER CHARACTERIZED 